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* Scroll past basic setup guide for forum links and current information.
* GripHax, is it real or a myth? Skip.exe work in progress.

SKIP BARBER: BASIC SETUP GUIDE FOR iRacing

A "good setup" in the Skip is less important than good driving and driver inputs.
A setup that makes you feel comfortable will help build your confidence.

Only 6 adjustable settings. Trial and error. Change 1 setting at a time with 2 clicks to feel the difference.

A flashing yellow box in garage is only a guide to indicate it's near the limit. Red would fail tech.

A hot track on iRacing feels more slippery, a cold track more grippy. See weather for more detailed information.
I expect that starting with lower tyre pressures would increase rolling resistance thus potentially slower.

As I mentioned 2016s3Try something different: -4 SPO. 7 ARB. 19 PSI (2016s4 I'm using 53 brake bias).
If you think I'm nuts, I agree, now try it.
In 2013 my preference was negative-SPO before succumbing to the loud voices of convention.
-4 will increase the ride height and I expect it will increase contact patch.
At a track like Imola, it improves the bumps and thumps.

Some iRacers prefer to preselect and hold gear lever, when ready to shift, lift off gas to engage gear.

iRacing's Skip forum section is a wealth of information, see pinned threads and...

IMPORTANT NOTE RE TYRE / TIRE PRESSURES.
iRacing's tyre model keeps evolving from season to season.
Suggestions you read may be outdated, check the date of information for relevance.
I generally references a Season eg 2015s4 for season 4 2015.

Skip Aus/NZ SOF (Strength Of Field) race Monday nights 10:15 GMTthread (2016 S4)
Remind me to update the link next season or look for a new thread in the forum's Skip section
It's an official session with a weekly focus that anyone can join.
Top split streamed live by RRTV. (redirection to rrtv edracing.com/RRTV).

Blown engines discussed thread (2015s4).Post by Skip Mayor PL. Read his post for full detail.
PL now believes it's probable that following another car in the draft can contribute to blowing an engine.
PL believes there are 3 things that can damage an engine in iRacing:1. Over-revving (more than 6400 rpm) on downshifts.
2. Hitting the limiter (which causes a slight over-rev, but a
full-throttle over-rev is far more damaging than an off-throttle
over-rev).
3. Excessive oil temperature.
When following another car closely avoid hitting the limiter on downshifts.

Skip School threads - 2016s2 update: school appears to be dead.
Look for the weekly thread in the Forum's Skip Section.
The original threads appear to be dead also:
- The Official Skippy School AusNZ thread (2015s4).
- Skippy School thread (2015s4).

Highly recommend watching a professional clip: Skip Barber Going Faster at bottom.
Also read the book Going Faster!: Mastering the Art of Race Driving - excerpts in thread.

Real Wheel for Skip Barber - who is correct?
From Skip thread (11/2015): Reportedly a 255mm D-Shaped leather rim sourced from race-parts.com part RTSWD2.
Another thread links to isrtv.com post which makes reference to a Skip Barber answer of 320mm part RTSWD4BL.
A more recent post reportedly had a reply from Skip Barber citing 255mm.

The JRT app gives an oil temp warning for the Skippy when you reach higher temps than 140°C.

The higher it goes, the higher the risk to blow the engine. We tested in once in a hosted session.
Shifting up or down and/or hitting the rev limiter can all make the engine blow.
It´s possible on all tracks (happens mostly on tracks with high air temp and many draft opportunities).

The higher the oil temp went (some had it on 180°C) the higher the chance it blows while shifting or hitting the limiter.

iRacing later edited the release notes to include:
"A number of physics changes have been made to make the handling balance more similar at corner entry and exit.
Previously, the car tended to oversteer at corner entry and understeer at corner exit.
These changes were aimed at reducing both entry oversteer and exit understeer."

The driver's head position has been adjusted slightly so that it is in line with the way other cars calculate the driver view.

Track surface has reportedly changed. "Some extensive updates to the Dynamic Track System have also been added that should increase the realism of heat
mapping and make rubber have a bit more of an impact on your race."

"Your experience at night tracks has been improved with the new Dynamic Night Shadow Maps system".

Watch Skip thread for member comments.
Excerpt from PL: "The car suffers a lot of off-throttle understeer but more oversteer when on throttle it's not a problem really, but the unstable rear when changing direction is going to be a problem for many."
My opinion: iRacing continue to subdue the beast within, the car is now too stable. It's no longer the drivers' car I once loved but it is still a lot of fun.

My comments:
The traditional 5 SPO 8 ARB may be fine for guys that know the car well.
I'm coasting around with 2 SPO 5 ARB and 55 brake bias at Laguna.
11 litres (3.1 gallons) of fuel is normally sufficient for a race - check before you race.

2016s3:

2016s3 from release notes:
"We have performed an extensive update to all track surfaces to better
model physics collisions, even with tiny particles like sparks, gravel,
and marbles.
The dynamic track surface now includes dust and gravel,
which is brought onto the racing surface from off-track excursions and
affects tire grip"

Season 3 Schedule thread
Proposed schedule thread
Skip not mentioned in release notes but... from release notes:
"We have performed an extensive update to all track surfaces to better
model physics collisions, even with tiny particles like sparks, gravel,
and marbles.
The dynamic track surface now includes dust and gravel, which is brought
onto the racing surface from off-track excursions and affects tire
grip"

The corner exit understeer can be frustrating, especially on hot tracks.

To minimise the understeer I'm lifting off the gas a fraction earlier than normal for better rotation.

I may change the Spring Perch Offset (SPO) or Anti Roll Bar (ARB) 1 click at different tracks.

Try something different: -4 SPO. 7 ARB. 19 PSI. If you think I'm nuts, I agree, now try it.
In 2013 my preference was negative SPO before succumbing to the loud voice of convention.
-4 will increase the ride height and I expect it will increase contact patch.

(I've spent many weeks in the Star Mazda with better track selection, it's been a blast).

Informative post by Eric H (18 Dec 2015):
"We've actually done a bit of CFD on the Skippy. The front wing just
limits lift to nil caused by leverage on the rear, which therefore
actually does create some download. Although it's efficiency is really
really low. The overall car (all df on the rear) sees a lift/drag ratio
of approximately -0.32:1. A current F1 car is around -4.0:1 or 12.5
times more!" (Ed: I'm guessing CFD is Computational Fluid Dynamics).

2016s1 updates
"Road series will now have a solo 2 minute warm up followed by a 7 minute qual session in which you can do up to 2 timed laps" (post).
From release notes:
"Cars without tire warmers will now enter the world with exactly the
tire pressure specified in the garage, instead of always being a couple
of psi higher than specified. iRacing setups have been adjusted for this
change, but you will need to increase your tire pressure on any
pre-existing setups to keep your hot tire pressures out on the track in
the right place. The typical change for any car will be approximately
+1.5 psi".
* Backfire sounds have been added.
* Tire sounds have been updated.

Skip updates 2015s4
* Skip schedule thread. (Schedule for all cars thread pdf attached).
*
V6 tires now include a term in the lateral stiffness calculations that
was missing in the NTM previously (including the v1-5 tires).
All prior cars with v6 tires from last season have been revised to suit, and many more cars have been upgrade to v6 tires.
* My opinion: the car is too stable now, including on grass and dirt.

Updates from 2015s2 release notes
* Old setups for ALL cars - you may need to raise ride height to pass tech.
* Reportedly fixed a bug with Skip's ARB.
* Cars are dropped on track with a warmed up motor, not warm tyres.
* Fast Repair option added to F4 - check it before pitting.
* 2015s2 Single car qualifying is part of the (Skip) race session. Late announcement.

Youtube upload by Riku Alatalo. Riku's iRacing post with this clip.
A suggestion that may help others:
I learnt in the MX5 (at the top of the Corkscrew around 10:30) to use the trees to help identify the 2nd apex.

If you are a few seconds slower and thrashing your wheel, you limit your ability to get faster.

Cornering: Good line in with appropriate pace will assist fast exit.
* Use the whole track. The camber of some parts of ripple strips assist with rotation.
* Look ahead and plan. Going fast doesn't mean keeping your foot on the gas.

By contrast, if your style includes:
* Riding the brake under throttle when desperate may have it's merits such as stabilising the car.
This "technique" may also mask driver error which impedes driver advancement.
* The need to rotate the wheel excessively through corner & running wide is indicative of pushing too hard.
* Ultimately, over-driving slows you down and impedes driver advancement.
* Think with your head, not with your foot.

Skip Barber Going Faster

Professional clip. 90 minutes long. Includes some terrific information.Uploaded by lironjdb.